The Steve's discuss Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, along with what's making them happy in pop culture today!
What's making us happy?
Movie Discussion
Ending- Any music or audio clips were borrowed from the original source material.
The Steve's discuss Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, along with what's making them happy in pop culture today!
What's making us happy?
Movie Discussion
Ending- Any music or audio clips were borrowed from the original source material.
Hello, returning Happys and new listeners. This is Steve Bennet-Martin.
Stephen:And this is Stephen Martin-Bennet, and welcome to a lifetime of
Steve:happiness. The podcast where we take you on our journey through some of the movies, shows, and other bits of pop culture that are helping to keep us happy. Well hopefully bring a smile to your face along the way. And this
Stephen:January, we're discussing our favorite movies of 2022 with our favorite Marvel Movie of the year, Dr. Strange and The Multiverse of Madness.
Steve:Yes. But before we jump into the multiverse, sis, What's been making you happy
Stephen:Reba McIntyre?
Steve:What a surprise she normally does, but what this time
Stephen:did she do? So, as you know, she's been on big Sky, big Sky this season, but she had a movie of the week on Lifetime this week called The Hammer, where she plays new Judge Kim Wheeler. And it was fantastic and I hope that it either was, A pilot for a new Reba TV show that I would totally watch or a first in the series of movies, like two hour movies that they'll do like once a year or something. Awesome. It was really, really good. And you know, I've had a little bit of extra time this week because I'm unemployed. You're
Steve:in between jobs at the moment. I
Stephen:know I am. I have one week off in between jobs, but I've been like, I'm unemployed. Yes. So I had some time at home. It was suggested to watch by Reba herself,
Steve:so, oh, well you have to listen to Reba then. Yes,
Stephen:it was really, really good. Excellent. Now, what's been making you happy watching
Steve:Severance with you and being very glad that I'm not severed Oh my goodness. Yeah, because the concept of the show is that these people undergo a medical procedure that separates their consciousness from their personal life and their professional life. Basically though making a brand newborn baby in an adult body, that will work. And you'll never know what goes on at work. And it's when you're at home, when you're at home vice, when you're vice versa at home, you'll have no memory of any sort of life ever on the outside world. Right. So it's not even like you can remember what your life was like up to then. And then you were stuck. It's like you've never been
Stephen:outside. Right. The, and they call them Anys and Audis. Your work persona isn't any, and the person that exists after 5:00 PM is your Audi.
Steve:I know. And it's just such an interesting con concept. I love the performances that we were getting from Patricia Arquette and then who's the main guy? Oh, that's in a bunch of stuff.
Stephen:Yeah. And blanking. He was the. Reese Weatherman's husband on big Lie. And he was also in just so many things. He's very, very talented. Adam Scott. Adam Scott. Thank you. But. Patricia Arquette as the villain. Yeah. Is
so
Steve:good. Yeah, it's, it's been really good. So I'm very excited for season two. And that was on Apple Plus. It was
Stephen:on Apple Plus. So it's one of those things that if you ever get an opportunity where Apple's like, yeah, try it for free for a little. go watch this. Yes, it
Steve:was really good. And then forget that you're on a trial and just let it keep running and running and running.
Stephen:Yeah. There is that too. Yes. But while you have that trial and you, if you like musicals, also watch Shmi. Gaon. That was also
Steve:very good. Yes. Yeah. Now why do we love Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness?
Stephen:Okay. So for a lot of reasons, but the movie is an amazing character study into two characters. We thought we already. But it dives deeper and looks at them differently than we've seen before. The visuals are spectacular, and Elizabeth Olson, who thanks to Wanda Vision, had already cemented herself as one of the best actors in the M C U. This performance was on a whole other level too.
Steve:Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I mean, she was my big draw for it leading up to it. I had hoped that she had stayed on the right path, but it didn't, if the dark holes was just too powerful, uhoh. But I did love seeing more of her and I love the concept of multiverses. This is the second one that we've covered this month about multiverses, and so that makes me wonder, I. growing up, the concept of a multiverse was something like very niche and like very nerdy.
Stephen:So there there was this show called Quantum Leap. Mm-hmm. which was kind of that was like going into different people's lives, but he couldn't like, Affect, he had to make sure that things that he did didn't upset the time continuum.
Steve:Yeah. Well, I mean, would you, would you say at this point though, that the concept of multiverses has gone beyond just like comic book nerds and in like the normal person, if you were like, what's a multiverse? They'd be like, I could figure it out.
Stephen:Yeah. I think that people know what that is by now, and especially two of the biggest movies of the year dealt with. I think everybody knows now.
Steve:Yes. Now this is the 28th film in the M C U, which is wild. Yeah, it is the sequel to 20 Sixteens Dr. Strange, of course. And it was released on May 6th, 2022 with a budget of 200 million and a box office of basically a billion.
Stephen:Wow. And it was really, really good. I'm so glad we saw it on the big. And that's one of those things, like there are some movies that I would, I like to go to the theater to support the movie. Mm-hmm. And then there's other movies you're like, no, this has to be experience. Yeah, this is one of'em. Everything everywhere, all at once was another one that definitely benefited from. the big screen.
Steve:Yes. And now this film also draws on a lot of events from both Spider-Man, new Noway Home, the movie, as well as Wanda Vision, the Disney Plus Show. Could you have missed them and still follow through?
Stephen:Yes. I think you could definitely miss both of those two. I think you would need to know who Wanda Wa I think you would need to have. Infinity War and end game. Yeah. But other than that, I think you could have come directly to this because they do a good job of like hinting at Westview. They show the important thing of the children. So I think it's all there. But you can't, you couldn't have been a. Marvel fan and not have seen anything else.
Steve:Yeah, I agree. And 28 films in that makes sense as well. Yeah. Now you also pointed out that Elizabeth Olson, these two came out so close together that she flew to London to work on this film just days after finishing Wanda Vision
Stephen:which is kind of interesting. also explains why she was definitely already in character by the time it all happened.
Steve:Yeah, makes it a lot easier now. This was directed by Sam Ramey and written by Michael Wal Waldron. It's Stars, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olson, Chiwetel, edgy four, Benedict Wong, Sochi Gomez, Michael stk, and Rachel
Stephen:McAdams. You're
Steve:welcome. Thank you for helping me with those pronunciations. I do remember if Chik from before, but yeah, I would not have gotten so chill. Yeah, I
Stephen:on some of the names that were because, so Chills name is spelled X O C H I T. and I would not have guessed that. So I did look up phonetic spellings for
Steve:us. Thank you. Now,
Stephen:In this movie, Ben a Cumberbatch has Dr. Strange's goatee and it's real this
Steve:time. Well, very nice. I would say that if I was becoming a character and them see you and they say, grow a beard, I'd say, sure. They said, shave a beard. I say Short. I do what you want. Marvel. Yeah.
Stephen:I would also shave my head if they needed me to. And you know how I feel about my hair.
Steve:Exactly. Yes. And according to Director Sam Ramey, almost 40 minutes of additional scenes were cut for the film during post-product. Now, would you watch an extra 40 minutes of stuff from this movie? From this movie?
Stephen:Absolutely. There are definitely some movies where I would go back and watch more. Like allegedly there's a whole other like hour to hour and a half of Kathy Bates stuff from Titanic about the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Yeah. That they cut because they decided to focus on the romance. Oh, solely, and I'm like, I'd go watch six 90 more minutes of Kathy bat stuff.
Steve:Yeah, of course. So this movie starts off in the gap junction, the space between
Stephen:universes. Oh yeah. For a second. I thought it was like a new store. No.
Steve:Okay. America Chavez and Defender Strange Race to the Book of Ashanti while attempting to evade a ribbon. Strange's attempts to contain the monster approved futile leading him to attempt to steal Chavez's power of multiverse travel because it's better for him to have it and for her to be dead than for them both to die and having the monster steal it or her lose control while using it. However, the Demonn kills Strange during the process, and Chavez in fear inadvertently opens up a portal to Earth six 16, which she and strangest corpse fall.
Stephen:always take the corpse with you.
Steve:Now, if you were in that situation, would you kill poor little America or was this Dr. Strange evil
Stephen:Doctor? Strange. I don't think he was evil. Dr. Strange. I think he is very much like most of the Dr. Strange is I know best. Yeah. Let me handle it instead of. He's not the best team player. Yeah. And I think this, the defender strange that we see at the beginning of this is another example of him not being a team player.
Steve:Yeah, exactly. Now this is America Chavez's first appearance in the mcu, but she originally was premiered in the comics inventions number one in September, 2011, before joining the Young Avengers and later starring in her own ongoing ongoing series America in March 27 by Ry Gabby River. Making her Marvel's first Latin America lgbtq plus character to star in a comic book series as the main character. Good for her. Good for her. Yes. And her comic book version has similar powers in regard to the multiverse, although she also has super strength, speed, durability, and the power of flight.
Stephen:Later in the movie though, we get to see. Use that Like a super punch. Yes. Like the, it's like cuz her other power opens up a star looking portal. Portal and she can also do star
Steve:punches. Yes. I'm interested to see how her powers grow in the young Avengers, if or when that eventually officially happens. Yes. I think we're headed there. I think we're a hundred percent sure. I think we've been heading there for a while, but it's one of those things where like, it's not been announced even though everyone's like, but it's happening. Right? Because
Stephen:now we've got her, we have Ms. Marvel from the rumors with Agatha. Yeah. Toughen of Chaos. We're going to have Wicken. Yeah. Wanda's Kid. Teenage. They haven't said that both would be that speed would be there too. But I'm guessing because they're both on the Young Avengers. Yeah.
Steve:And there was the guy from Hart. Lovestruck. Harr. Heart. Heart Stopper. Stopper. Yeah. There
Stephen:we go. We got
Steve:it at the same time. Yes. Now Dr. Strange wakes up believing this vision to be a nightmare and continues about his day. He dresses up to attend Christine Palmer's wedding. Where he reminisces about the time they previously spent together, but Palmer insists that the relationship would've failed regardless. Have you been in any relationships that would've failed regardless? Yes. All of them. Up until All of them. Up until now. Yes. So what are your thoughts on Christine marrying someone else? Good
Stephen:for her. And it also must have killed him because I noticed that as she was walking down the aisle, she did not even glance over to him. Yeah. Her eyes were only on her husband to be, she didn't look at anyone else, so that had to be a blow to his. He does apologize for not working harder on the relationship, but she says that he always had to be the one holding the knife, meaning that he always had to be in complete control and felt responsible when someone else got cut or hurt. And that responsibility can weigh you down, especially when it means making personal sacrifices to protect people. And those, and though she respects him for it, she couldn't love him for it. That's my whole
Steve:take on it. There you go. I'll take it. Okay. Now, during the celebration, it wouldn't be a Marvel movie if things didn't go ka bang. Kapow.
Stephen:Yeah, because the wedding was not the important thing that happened here. It was just to get him in Midtown Yes. Cuz
Steve:an invisible entity begins to terrorize the streets of. Strange is forced to respond and reveals the entity as Garganto a giant tentacle monster with one eye previously seen in Marvel's. What if also president is Chavez, who strange recognizes from his nightmare and rescues her long arrives at the scene fromage and together they killed Garganto by gouging his eye out. And it was gross, but cool. Yeah, strange and won questions Chavez. And she explains that the demons were hunting her for her. As proof of her claims, she takes them to alternate Stranges corpse to prove that Strange's nightmare was actually a peak into his counterpart across the universe. Which leads me to naturally ask Babe, because your dreams are always messed up and wacky, so messed up and wacky are these glimpses into you alternate realities and multiverses. So
Stephen:if dreams are windows into our multiverse selves, as they say, then my other selves are living very strange. And something like things that coexist in multiple universes definitely seems to be the house where I grew up, my house in Cincinnati, but that house isn't always in Cincinnati. Sometimes it's in Morgantown where I went to school. And sometimes it's here and things, and you're there. It is definitely a very interesting. My multiverse selves are having a good time.
Steve:Interesting. I don't dream like that, which
Stephen:must mean that you are the only version
Steve:of you I, the only version of me, the few dreams I have remembered are sexy time dreams or I'm having fantasies and so I think that if those are other realities, I'm just always not I'm always just doing it in my dreams. In other universes, you're just a sex worker. Yes. Hopefully I'm getting paid for it. Now
Stephen:upon further inspection of the corpse strange discovers ruins of witchcraft that he realizes were also present on the tentacled creature, knowing that this isn't his area of expertise, he visits Wanda Maximov at her farm to ask her about what she knows about the multiverse. She admits that she made mistakes in Westview, you know, keeping the whole town hostage, hostage, and going through multiple decades of her own tv. And she tells him to bring America there so that Wanda can protect her. But Strange had never said the girl's name.
Steve:Yes, exactly. And the, it is kind of funny that he's like, this is witchy. I got asked the one witch I know in the world and it just happens to be the one witch who's doing it. Yeah.
Stephen:I mean, because I mean, there was a chance that what if Agath Agatha had gotten out of Westview. Yeah,
Steve:yeah. No, he soon discovers it to be chaos. Magic con conjured by maximov herself with the dark hold in her possession and becoming the scarlet witch. Maximov reveals herself as the one who sent the demons after Chavez believing she could reunite with Billy and Tommy. When she's able to take over the multiverse, you'll break the
Stephen:rules and un become my hero. I do it and become the. That doesn't seem fair.
Steve:Yes, she gives strange before sundown to surrender. Chavez, a chage. Otherwise, she'll be coming as the scarlet witch, which is a dark being of unfathomable power, prophesized to rule or to annihilate.
Stephen:Now she says, if you knew that there was a universe where you were truly happy, wouldn't you want to go there? And so it's a two-part question. Would you want to go to a universe where you're truly. and what would you be willing to do to make that universe your reality?
Steve:I would say that I would want to peek into the other universe to see what makes me so perfectly happy there and do my best to strive towards it in this reality.
Stephen:That's a very nice answer. And something that wouldn't destroy the cosmos. Yeah. Yeah. No incursions for you. Good job. Yeah. Yeah.
Steve:In what world am I perfectly happy in? What's different than this world? Okay. I'll cut out gluten if that's the one thing that makes me happy.
Stephen:could you imagine if it. I, I, I would be happy if I didn't have macaroni and cheese. I know,
Steve:but like, if that was the one thing to make you truly happy, you'd be like, sure I do it. Like,
Stephen:it would just, it would be sense. I also, I also think that a, a world without pasta and cheese together isn't happy. So Yes.
Steve:There you go. But yeah, it's just provides some interesting thoughts into that. Now, I, the pun first watching it. Was slightly disappointed because I feel like I was really invested in Wanda vision and it was all about her grief and her healing, or starting to heal at the end. And I do feel like a lot of the healing that occurred in that final episode or two of Wanda vision is not seen here. But do you feel like it's erased or do you feel like the dark hold is that power?
Stephen:I have a long answer for this, but I think it fully covers your question. Sure. So Wanda blames strange for giving Thanos the time stone, which led to Vision's death because originally she had destroyed the stone envision's head. But once Thanos had the time stone from Strange, he just rewound it, got there before she could destroy. took the stone vision dies. So this Wanda is willing to sacrifice America Chavez for the greater good. Meaning her greater good. Mm-hmm. But we also have to look at the dark hold because it's a book of the damned that corrupt all who use it. So I think after losing her kids at the end of Wanda vision, she was willing to use the dark hole to find a way to get them back as part of her healing. But because I don't think that she had any idea what the book would do to her. So yes, she's to blame for using the book, knowing that it was evil. But the dark things that she has done and will do in this movie are from the influence of the book. So it's a twofold thing. She shouldn't have used the book to begin with. when she does, she
Steve:was screwed. Yep. All right. Well, with com, speaking of screwed over at Mage with Chavez, the Masters of the Mystic Arts fortify the area in preparation from eczema's assault with a magic shield and various other defenses, strange tries to talk to her to be reasonable. She says, this is me being reasonable. Sending monsters instead of myself was a.
Stephen:Which is so scary when, when she says
Steve:it, yes, Wanda begins attacking the shield, looking for a weak spot, but finds none, however, telepathically targets one. So SOR causing him to flee in fear, leading the shield to collapse, allowing her to shred through the resistance of tage and almost killing or basically killing the strange ox. Man, that was cool. I know like,
Stephen:It's so random, but he stuck out.
Steve:Yes. Strange. Entraps her within the mirror dimension for like a second before she escapes using reflection. And I just really love the action scenes in this movie, and a lot of times I can take it or leave it, but you know, even with Marvel in general, being pretty well with the Fighty Fighty Kick Kick. Yeah. I feel like, especially in the mar. In the Doctor Strange and like when you add magic mm-hmm. and mysticism into it, it, they do a really good job with like the mirror demi dimension and the cracking through things. And there was a lot of suspense and the effects of her crawling out were just really cool. As her body was cracking. Oh, she
Stephen:crawled out of that mirror. That was like, that was right there where I was like, this is a horror movie.
Steve:Yes, it
Stephen:certainly is. And also these action scenes give me a lot of faith that once the X-men do come to the M C U, we're finally going to see them using their powers all at once as a team done really well because unfortunately, so many of the other. like it's never done as well as it
Steve:could have been. No. It's like you pick your power depending on the situation, but there's no cohesion or fastball specials.
Stephen:Yeah. And so also Wanda says she knows her children exist in the multiverse because she dreams of them every night. And strange questions, the logic, you know, if she goes to a universe where her kids. What happens to that, Wanda? Well,
Steve:I solved the problem. Yeah. Wanda, in many universes as a hero, heroes naturally are notorious for dying. Yep. So find a universe where that Wanda had the kids, was a hero, died a hero, and give them their mommy back. I
Stephen:think that that is a really good one. And I like that idea a lot,
Steve:but she just loses it out on it later when she's like, but then what happens if one of them gets sick and I need to go to another universe where there's the answer? And I think that's where I was like, girl, you're, you had me like I found a solution for you if you just called me. Yeah. But then she goes off the deep end
Stephen:and I think that's the influence of the dark hold on her. And she would've had to have destroyed the dark hold to rid the influence. So if she could have found Orphan Billy and Tommy. And destroyed the dark cold. I think she would've been
Steve:good. Yes. But instead, that doesn't happen. Nope. Cornered Chavez accidentally opens a portal. Can you imagine if you opened a portal to like another dimension every time you accidentally got like excited or surprised?
Stephen:Like so that time when we were seeing the conjuring in the movie theater and I came up outta my chair and you would've
Steve:just popped right down through a portal into an alternate dimension. Yeah.
Stephen:I mean, but I would've taken out our
Steve:whole row. I know that wouldn't be good. Yeah. Yes. They land in Earth 8 38 and in a futuristic New York City where they walk towards the New York sanctum and search of strangest counterpart in this. But we find out that Counterpart died defeating Thanos previously allegedly, and they're instead greeted by this universe as source sewer Supreme Baron Mordo. We learned that there's only one America Chavez in the multiverse, just like there's only one me
Stephen:Because America does not dream. And if you do not dream. It means because multiverses are windows and or dreams are windows into the ourselves and multiverses. So if you're not dreaming, that means that you don't exist in
Steve:another multiverse. And that does make sense for someone who can control the multiverse powers to ha. It would be a lot more confusing if they were multiple versions of you traveling through Multiverses,
Stephen:because I mean, we all like, like back to the future. Yeah. I mean it's not, it's technically time travel, but they're always like, don't interact with yourself. Yeah. You're gonna set
Steve:something. Multiverse. Yeah. Yes. Now while we do find out that food does cost money in Earth, 8 38 hysterically with the, the pizza ball vendor, yeah. I do love the concept that food is free in most dimensions, so
Stephen:I love Earth 8 38 because it looks very futuristic, utopian, and there's colorful plants everywhere. Yes. As for the free food, I would say that a world where your basic necessities, like housing, food, and medicine would be free, would actually create a better world. Because if you look at like the hierarchy of needs those, they all be met. Yeah. If those things are met by the world and that's not what you're working towards, like it, it just creates a better world. Congratulations on the rest of the multiverse being better than Earth 616 Yes.
Steve:And while we don't know in the M C U yet, that when she becomes age appropriate to start having crushes, they're gonna be for other ladies. Yes. We did learn that that runs in her family because she has two lesbian moms. Yes. And she's got stung by a bee and opened a portal and sent them away. And I'm sure we'll never hear them ever again cuz I'm sure they've never been touched on in the comics. I have no idea on
Stephen:that, but I totally,
Steve:I think that, thank you. My left testicle
Stephen:Yeah. I would say that we're going to see her moms again at
Steve:some point. At some point, yes. Yep.
Stephen:Now, Mordo invites them to sit down for tea and the two warn him of the Scarlet witch and that she can dream, walk, and invade any universe she wants. That has a wand in it, but they soon pass out because Mordo has poisoned the. because he's afraid that it's actually the two of them that will harm his reality and they awaken enough facility elsewhere where they meet that universe as Christine Palmer, who works there as a scientist to help with managing the multiverse Strange, is brought forth before the Illuminati for his trial consisting of Mordo Captain Peggy Carter, the first Avenger, black Agar Boltagon, black bolt of the Inhumans, captain Marvel, Maria Rambo. Reid Richards, Mr. Fantastic. Of the Fantastic Four, and Charles Xavier of the X-Men.
Steve:Yes. What a gathering. Now, it's confirmed that the M C U is Earth 616, but how does that numbering all work again? It always confuses me.
Stephen:I would love to tell you, so they come from the year and the month that that universe was first published in Marvel. Earth six 16 means that it was June of 1961. Mm-hmm. Earth 2 95. That's the age of apocalypse in the X-Men comics. That's because it started in February of 1995. So we can assume that the universe of 8 38 relates to some publication date in August of 1980. That
Steve:is fascinating. Yes. And I know that there was a lot of hush beforehand about who was gonna be in this, you know, appearances and everyone was hoping for Xavier. Yeah. And they were hoping that it was gonna be Patrick Stewart. Stewart. Yep. And it was. And it was what everyone hope. Was it what everyone hoped after all
Stephen:it was, but Well, and then some people were all. Ugh, why give us this and it's only a little bit blah, blah blah. And I'm like, just enjoy things for what it is. Baby steps. Yeah. Love. You know I love Peggy Carter. Yeah, of course. And so getting to see a live action, captain Carter was ama awesome. The fans have been asking for John Krasinski Is Mr. Fantastic for several years now, and I'm happy that I got to see it. Yep. Kevin Peggy's like. Anson Mount had played back ball black belt on the Ill-fated Inhumans TV show. So it was kind of nice that they brought him back. Yeah. And then of course as Xavier's wheeling out in his gold hover chair from the cartoon and the nineties animated theme is playing and our Patrick Stewart comes out. it was everything you could want. In terms of cameo appearances,
Steve:yes, I was very happy. Once you're able to accept that they're just there for Wanda fodder, yeah, it's a lot easier to just enjoy the cameos for what they are not thinking that like this is going to completely change the N ncu.
Stephen:No, the only thing that I was originally wishing. bring Captain Carter back with you. Bring Captain Carter back
Steve:with you. Nope. Instead you got Split by a Shields. Yeah. But before we get there They're, they're all talking about how Dr. Strange is the greatest threat in the universe. Revealing, revealing that their counterpart of strange had used the dark hold to look for an alternative ways of dealing with Thanos. And he found the book of Ashanti, which the Illuminati used to kill him on Titan. This was all because he created an incursion where a universe was destroyed because of his traveling or whatever. Yeah. And thus volunteered to be executed by a black, a bar gold. I just love calling him that cuz it's just fun. And yeah, he says like, sorry, I'm
Stephen:sorry, sorry, sorry. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And get, that's why he, yeah, that's why he has to stay silent all the time because if he opens his mouth,
Steve:Yes. I'm glad that doesn't happen to me. Yeah. And make podcasting very difficult. it sure
Stephen:would. You'd go through a lot of microphones. Yes.
Steve:Now, how do you feel about sentencing one person for crimes that another version of them in another universe performs? So I don't
Stephen:think it's fair, and it kind of reminded me of that Will Smith movie where people were arrested for crimes that they were allegedly going to commit. what was the name of that movie? I don't remember. But and seeing as I put it in the notes, I could have done the extra step and looked that up.
Steve:I, I tried Googling it real quickly and I was no dice So I'm wondering whether this is a real movie.
Stephen:It is a real movie because he is a cop in that universe and like they use these Precog Telepaths. Yeah. And they have the visions of who's going to be. And who does it. And his name comes up, but he doesn't believe that it would be him. So he goes through this whole thing and finds out somebody's manipulating the results from one of the precogs. Oh, okay. So again, this kind
Steve:of also goes in and into like, do you think that someone's generally good or evil across dimensions, or do you think there's a universe out there where there's like St. Hitler and. Evil, evil, Theresa.
Stephen:Right? I I, I totally thought of like, you know, mother Theresa, the sex trafficker type of thing. Yeah, exactly. So I do believe that's possible. I think there are a variety of factors that influence who we are. And there could be universe where Ronald Reagan stayed an actor didn't go into politics, and, you know, the skyrocket inflation of the eighties never happened. Or one where Charles Manson just becomes a yoga teacher. Oh, I bet you would do his. No. Well, in that universe. In that universe probably, but I'm like, no, I'm not gonna do a murderer's yoga. But in that universe, but different universe. Yeah.
Steve:He's not a murderer. Exactly. Now meanwhile, max Muff deploys the dark hole to dream walk into her Earth. 8 38 counterpart in Westview to interact with her children. However, hero for a minute, Sarah Wolf manages to destroy the dark hold and then gets burnt alive in. She also threatens to kill other SORs if Wong doesn't reveal an another method to dream Walk. Leading him to reveal the book was just a copy of stuff written all over this mountain in Mount Ungar where the dark hold was first transcribed. And Golis are waiting for her. Yep.
Stephen:So Maximov uses the castle's power to dream. Walk back into 8 38 and raid the Illuminati headquarters in search of cha. Before they could vote to execute Strange Carter, black Bolt, Rambo, and Richards leave to respond to the Scarlet Witch, but Maximov easily kills them. Xavier tells Steven Strange to save the girl and prove what kind of docter strange he can be. Xavier enters Maxim off's mind and attempts to liberate her from the influence of the Scarlet Witch, but fails as in the real world. Maximov comes up behind him and snaps his. Mordo votes himself just to go ahead and kill. Strange, but they fight and strange tricks him into destroying the restraints before Steven can escape
Steve:him. Yes. Now Kevin Figgy told them as much as he loved hearing black belts name mentioned in early conversations for these scenes, he wasn't sure that Wado was powerful enough to defeat him as all he needs to do is open his mouth. Sam Remy rift instantly with what? Which obviously made it into the script. Oh.
Stephen:And like whenever, like Reid was saying, you know, he's gonna do that and Wanda says what mouth? And all of a sudden his mouth is gone and it blows off the back of his head. Like that was impressive.
Steve:Yeah. And then even like Reid tried, cuz we know from comics that he has a wife and he has kids. It was Sue Storm. So he tries to relate to that.
Stephen:Is there mother still alive? Good. Then there will be someone to raise him and then she shreds him and makes him unravel. Yeah. And like that when that, like when Black Bolt did it and then she did that to him, I was like, Oh God, none. They're
Steve:all gonna die. They're all gonna die. Yeah. At that point I was like, no one's getting out of here alive.
Stephen:And then Peggy getting cut in half with her own shield right. After getting to say, I could do this all day. Yeah. And Xavi, you're
Steve:getting his neck snapped. Oh no. It was wild. Yeah. Now the Illuminati efforts did manage to give Palmer enough time to Free Chavez and the two escape into the sewers. Were they Randi Vu with Strange? Yes. Maximov continues to pursue them in the gap junction where Strange retreats. The Book of Ashanti, however, Maximov destroys it, takes control of Chavez and uses her to send Strange Palmer into another. She takes Chavez back to Earth 616 abandoning her alternate self. Who returns home to Westview cuz no biggie When your life was just hijacked by an evil version of yourself from an and you're covered in blood. Who cares? Yeah. Maximum of then prepares a ritual to take her powers elsewhere. Strange and Palmer land in a universe that's being destroyed by an incursion and head towards this New York sanctum. There they find a sinister counterpart of him who's been corrupted by his copy of the dark hold possessing a third eye because of it. Like in what if as well. Correct? Yeah.
Stephen:And like do you think that this showed Steven who he doesn't want to be, or do you think our Doctor strange is like, well that won't happen to me.
Steve:I feel like there's a part of him like that. Like it might help scare him straight, but like it. Not, but I can also see it going back eventually. Yeah. Because
Stephen:I mean, even in the first, like while he's given into certain things, there's still a part of him that's still that surgeon that's, I'll do it myself. Yep.
Steve:Now, when questioned about the dark hold, the sinister counterpart warns against using it with strange engages in a riff musical battle that you weren't expecting. Not a dance battle, but a awesome musical magic number.
Stephen:Yeah. They like take notes and throw Yeah. Off of
Steve:keyboards
Stephen:and stuff. Yeah. And it like the music notes come alive and they hit'em at each. It was so
Steve:impressively done. Yes it was. The fight ends with strange killing his evil counterpart and Palmer reluctantly agreeing to assist him as he dream. Walks into defender Strange's corpse back on Earth. 616. As he travels to Mount Unor, the spirits of the damned inhabiting the dark called attempt to strangle Strange in both universes, but Palmer is able to protect Stranger as he binds them into a cloak. He reunites with Wong and they fight Maxim off. A little bit but then are ultimately defeated. Yes. Now is using the dark hold a little bit. Okay. For a superhero,
Stephen:you know, I think that seems to be a very slippery slope. He uses it a little bit one time and is successful. Then I think he's gonna feel vindicated in using it more another time. And that makes me wonder if that's how Wanda got where she is now. Yes. I'm
Steve:very glad that Wanda destroys all versions of the dark hole. Cuz I bet that after this, if this had worked, he would've been like, cool, I'll use that again the next time. The world's in trouble. Yeah.
Stephen:And I'll just keep using
Steve:it. Yeah. Now Wong, tell Steven to take America's powers cuz it's the only way America even says it's okay. Now, despite their law, Steven says,
Stephen:everything has led you to this moment where you're going to kick that witch's
Steve:ass. Yes. And Stranger Managers to inspire Chavez into refining her abilities against Maxim Uff was the results in her using her powers Ascend Maxim Uff, back to Earth a three eight where she wants to be so much. Apparently, yeah, there she attacks her counterpart and attempts to comfort her kids, but they openly reject her because she's a monster. I
Stephen:would never hurt. I'm not a monster.
Steve:As you're hurting people.
Stephen:Yeah. And then she finally sees what she's
Steve:done. Yes. This causes maximov to collapse into tears, but her variant comforts her. Breaking her out of the dark holds corruption. Realizing the descr destruction she's caused. Maximov sacrifices herself to destroy the hassle. And every copy of the dark colds within the multiverse as Wong and Chavez returned to Tage. Now, does this heroic sacrifice at the end make up for all the hurt and dead bodies that she's created along the way? No.
Stephen:I don't think you can make up for the death that like, I don't think one action can do it. I think a future lifetime of actions can do it. Like, you know, gene wasn't technically responsible for the broccoli people dying in the dark Phoenix. but she's lived her life since then. Attempting to make up for that. I think that's the only thing that you can do is living a life of trying to make up for it. This one action she does while great and preventing further catastrophe doesn't make up for everything she did in the first two hours of the movie. I
Steve:don't think. And I would have to agree, but hopefully this isn't the last we see of her, although I bet it will be for at least a long time. I don't know.
Stephen:I mean, like if we're doing Coven of Chaos and they're bringing Billy in, I don't know how long Billy gets to be there before his mom gets to join.
Steve:Yeah, we'll see. But before they both returned to their home universe as strange emits to Palmer that he has always loved her, but was too insecure about committing to their real relationship. A three eight. Christine tells him to face your face. Run with scissor scissors. Yes, and Tage begins to rebuild as Chavez starts her training in the mystical arts. Strange. Asks Wong if he's happy to which Wang? I
Stephen:remain grateful in this universe, even with its tribulations, which I think is a really great way to think about it.
Steve:Yes, and a strange returns to New York and repairs the watch his Palmer gifted him. He takes the walk afterwards only to collapse and cry in pain as his third eye opens. Oh, my thoughts on
Stephen:the ending. It was really good. It you know, it's not true closure. We see. America Training Tage as Rebuilding Wong is still the sor Sor Supreme, which we got to see a really great version of. Long in she in in she hawk. And with this third eye opening. It leaves a lot of questions as do what's gonna happen next?
Steve:Yes. Well, we'll have to find out. But in a mid credit scene, strange is approached by the sore clea who warns him that his actions have triggered an incursion and they must put a stop
Stephen:to it. You've caused an incursion and we're going to fix it unless you're afraid. Not in the least. and she opens a portal to the dark dimension and the two walk in together. And
Steve:I will take Charli Theron in the mcu. Oh
Stephen:absolutely. And like, you know, they may change her. Cuz right now she's in a very comics accurate costume. Yes. And they may change it cuz each director sees things differently. But I would love if the next movie. Is in their lineup. Is Dr. Strange, the Dark Dimension?
Steve:Yeah. I'll take it. But yes, I would also take, loving to hear what you all think of this movie and this episode. You can do that by emailing us at Happy Life
Stephen:pod@gmail.com, or you can get in touch with us on all the socials, whether that is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok at Happy Life
Steve:Pod. And until next time, everybody stay happy.